Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-03-18
FROM AUSTIN.
Record for the Week of the Doings
of the Lawmakers OF
the State.
Bills Passed and Bills Proposed-Work
Good, Bad and Indifterent-Notss,
Gossip and Chatter.
DEMONSTRATION,

Special to the Gazette.
AUSTIN, Tex, March l5.-There are
many reasons to believe that the Univer,
slty dill will never become law.
All indications point to the concur
renee Of the House in the Senate substi,
tute land bill without any alteration.
The bill creating the Court Of Commits
sion OF Awards and Appeals passed the
House, and when it reached the Senate
it was discovered that there was no emer'
gency clause. To attempt to cure
this defect and have the act
take effect from and ate!
It's passage the Senate passed the bill with
an amendment, but some of the Senator's
ana members doubt that this will meet
the requirements, and contend that the
law will not take effect until niuEty days
sitter It's passage
THE GREER COUNTY LAND BILL.
After the prelminaries OF opening and
the reports Of committees were received
this morning, the Senats resumed con
sideTatiol of the bill to validate land
titles il Greer comfy. Senator Terrell,
being entitled to the floor, resumed his
argument by comparing the constitutional
provisions relative to lands set apart and
appropriated for public school and the
public debt with the language of
the veteran certificates act, claiming
that these certificates were located IN
good faith according TO the construction
placed upon the law by the legislators at
the time the law passed. He also held
that unless the bill now befyre the Senste
became law we would lose our claim 10
Greer county and it would pass undis-
puted into the hands of the national gov
eminent.
Senator Houston, speaking IN OppOsi-
ton to the bill, SAID in substance that the
reason Why the certificates were located
in Greer county was not because the law
was construed 10 make the location OF
these certificates a matter of prior
right, but because the lands were
rich and desirable. He disputed the
right of the Legislature to pass upon the
legality Of these titles now under COnsid-
GRAFTON by the courts. He closed his ar
gumeDt bY saying that he would yield to
no man IN his respect for the rights Of
the veterans Of Texas, AMI no
man would go further to honor
them, but when their name
was dragged into the legislative halls
as matter OF senJimentaIity to secure
the passage Of q law TO cover up what he
considered to be 4 fraudulent scheme tC
secure titles to the best lands IL the state,
he would much prefer that it would pass
into the hands of the federal government.
Senator Harrison opposing the bill,
claimed that under the constitutional
grant as construed by the courts when
applied to this Greer county question,
prevented the Legislature from passing
any law validating titles to lands already
set apart 10 the public debt and public
school fund, reading court decisions to
support his position. He then referred
to lhe fact that q greater portion of these
certificates had passed into the hands of
corporations and land spectators VINO
had purchased them at nominal sum
and patented the lands in their own
names; therefore it was not the veterans
that were asking relief, but corporations
and SPECTATORS.
Senator Macmanus held the position
thst the state was in honor bound to val
idate these titles On the ground that ia
granting the certificates she paid debt
of gratitude that was q gift in good faith,
and if there was any doubt as TO the
validity Of the titles it should now De
cured.
Senator Burgess closed the debate in
behalf Of the supporters Of the bill. A
vote was then taken and the bill WAS de-